Asahi Kasei Corporation has opened a new Hipore wet-process lithium-ion battery separator coating line in Charlotte, North Carolina, expanding its North American manufacturing capabilities as battery demand grows across electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
The company held a grand opening ceremony on August 20 for the line, which has been added to its existing Celgard manufacturing facility. The investment marks the first step in Asahi Kasei’s plan to establish a regional supply structure for wet-process battery separators.
Asahi Kasei made the investment decision in 2023, with commercial production scheduled to begin in the second half of fiscal 2026. The new coating operation will complement the Charlotte facility’s existing dry-process separator production, which dates back to 1986.
The ceremony also marked the 40th anniversary of the Celgard facility. Local government officials, representatives of Toyota Tsusho Corporation and other stakeholders involved in the project attended the event. Toyota Tsusho has entered into a capacity rights agreement related to the new facility.
Battery separators are a critical component in lithium-ion cells, positioned between the cathode and anode to prevent direct contact while allowing ions to move between the electrodes. Wet- and dry-process technologies use different manufacturing approaches and can serve varying battery performance and application requirements.
“Opening the Charlotte coating line is a key milestone in establishing our North American supply platform for battery separators,” said Ryu Taniguchi, president of Asahi Kasei Battery Separator Corporation.
Taniguchi said the company is using Celgard’s existing workforce and manufacturing infrastructure to expand its North American portfolio to include both dry-process Celgard and wet-process Hipore technologies.
The investment comes as the North American battery market continues to evolve beyond electric vehicles. Energy storage systems are emerging as another source of demand as utilities, businesses and other customers deploy batteries to support power management and grid reliability.
For separator manufacturers, regional production can also reduce supply-chain complexity and allow companies to respond more quickly to customers operating battery plants in North America. The market remains competitive, however, with suppliers facing pressure around costs, technology and production scale.
Asahi Kasei is also developing a wet-process separator manufacturing facility in Canada. Construction is progressing according to plan, the company said. Once both projects are operational, the Charlotte coating line and Canadian plant are expected to form a regional supply framework for wet-process separators.
The expansion gives Asahi Kasei a broader manufacturing footprint in North America while allowing the company to supply two major separator technologies from the region. The strategy also reflects the company’s effort to position production closer to battery manufacturers as local sourcing becomes increasingly important.
The investments are part of Asahi Kasei’s broader Energy & Infrastructure growth strategy. The business area has been identified as a Growth Potential area under the company’s medium-term management plan.
